Reading 1: Exodus 21

v.5,6 - The idea that here there was an instruction to use the judges means that this institution, which appears (ch.18:17-24) to have come from Moses' father-in-law, obviously had God's blessing. God is therefore not averse to man making judgements, though the men have to be well chosen to stand the responsibility and to give spiritually correct answers. As well as this, here in v.6 we have a picture of lifelong commitment, requiring the sacrifice of substantial pain (albeit short term). Notice that the serving for ever was motivated by his love for his master (God), his spouse (Jesus) and his children (Brethren and Sisters). Ps.40:6-8 (the word opened in v.6 means to dig or excavate - clearly a reference back to today's chapter).

v.17 represents the respect that God expects us to show for our parents - as a training ground for the showing of respect to our Heavenly father. The rules regarding respect for parents seem much harsher than most others, and serious consequences ensue from what seem on the surface to be relatively less serious crimes. We must consider what God is meaning us to learn from this.

v.5-6 The way in which the way a servant could dedicate himself to his master forms a pattern of our service to God. This was exemplified in the way in which Jesus gave himself over to his Father's work. So the idea :6 of the pierced ear is taken up in Psalm 40:6 and then on into Hebrews 10:5.

On this day in 1861, Bro Thomas wrote the preface to the first volume of Eureka.

Exodus 21 - The laws in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they differ from our times and customs, nor are they binding on us, yet they explain the moral law under which Israel now found herself, and the rules of natural justice. The servant, in the state of servitude, was an emblem of that state where man finds himself in bondage to sin. The law, brings man face to face with his God, because by his sins he is robbing God of his glory. However, the Law is based on "Not" teaching. That is, man learns under the Law largely what God is NOT. However, in God's Grace through Jesus Christ, we have learned what God IS. So this, says Jesus, "is life eternal that they might KNOW THEE the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" - John 17:3. Likewise, back in Exodus 21, a servant in being made free, was an emblem of that liberty wherewith Christ, the Son of God, makes free from bondage His people, who are now free indeed - Romans 8:1; and made so freely, without money and without price, through the grace of God - John 8:32.

21:6 That the servant is brought to the ‘door post’ with his ear ‘bored’ is maybe an indication that the servant would listen to the law – which was to be written ‘ upon the door posts of thine house’ (Deut 11:20)

Exo 21:15,17 The rules regarding respect for parents are a far cry from what we see in society to day. Here in Canada the laws are almost opposite of these given to Moses. It is illegal to spank a child, ( this has been changed recently, so a parent can spank a child lightly) as a matter of fact children are encouraged to report to the police if they are physically punished by a parent. We are reminded of the words penned by Solomon. Prov 22:6,15

The idea of slavery is abhorrent today, at least in the minds and laws of westerners. However, is not categorically condemned in the Bible, neither in the Old nor the New Testaments.
We must remember that there were brethren and sisters who were slaves, even slaves owned by other brethren. The story of Onesimus and Philemon is an example of this. What is important to the believer in Christ is not the condition in which s/he is found in this life (Phil 4:11, Heb 13:5) but his/her freedom from the bondage of sin (1Cor 12:13, Gal 3:28, Col 3:11). Christ has made us free from sin which, paradoxically, has made us all servants (slaves) of God (Rom 6:22).

V.2 Every Israelite was free-born, but slavery was permitted under certain restrictions. A Hebrew might be made a slave through poverty, debt, or crime; but at the end of six years he was entitled to freedom, and his wife, if she had voluntarily shared his state of bondage, also obtained release. Should he however, have married a female slave, she and the children, after the husband's liberation, remained the master's property; and if, through attachment to his family, the Hebrew chose to forfeit his privilege and abide as he was, a formal process was gone through in a public court, and a brand of servitude was put through his ear. (Psa 40:6) This was for life. In many ways, this is similar to our commitment at baptism, for life.

v.4, if I am reading it correctly, seems to cite the exact situation in which Jacob found himself with Laban, many years earlier. Had this rule existed then, he would have been forced to leave Rachel and Leah with their father and leave alone.

The Law allowed for Hebrews to be servants (slaves) for six years. However, they had to be freed on the seventh year (v.2). The seventh year was the time of release - the Great Sabbath - the Day of Rest. Yahweh was showing His people the pattern of His grace towards them. Likewise, we are servants (slaves) of Yahweh in this dispensation (viz. six years (days)) (Rom 6:22). We look forward to our release when Jesus returns to set up His Kingdom on the seventh year (day) (Matt 25:23,34).

V.2 It was lawful under the Law for one to own and control a slave. A man might possess a human or an animal, providing he used it, in mercy and truth, as other parts of the Law required. When compared with the practices and principles of the Egyptians and other nations, it is easy to see the superiority of the laws given to Israel.

21:2 Unlike the way in which Egypt dealt with servants - remember Joseph was sold and there was no opportunity for freedom from the bondage of slaver for him - God ensures that a man or woman cannot be sold forever.

V.2 The welfare of a Hebrew servant was governed by strict guidelines. His servitude was always a voluntary act and never forced. The person who was not able to generate enough wherewithal to exist independently became a servant to a household where he earned his keep. After the end of six years, he had the option of staying or leaving the household. If he chose to leave, he was to be given goods to enable him to make a fresh start (Deut 15:12-15). This mirrors the mercy of Yahweh as He brought His people out of slavery in Egypt with substance (Exo 12:35-38). The servant had to be released in the fiftieth year, the year of jubilee (Lev 25:10,54,55). If the Hebrew had been sold to an alien living with Israel, he could be redeemed at any time by a relative (Lev 25:47-49).

Vs.23-25 These verses have been abused by those justifying personal revenge in kind. But, these directives seek to avoid any personal revenge. They show that the judge trying a case will make compensation to the injured party to the full value of the injury. Those that misuse these verses confuse a civil code with a moral precept. Jesus, remarking on these verses, shows the appropriate moral application (Matt 5:38-42).

Exo 21:32 - 30 shekels of silver was the amount of money paid to Judas to betray the Lord (Matt 26:15;Zech 11:12-13). In order to effect the atonement for believers, the Lord "took upon him the form of a servant" (Phil 2:7), and in his death was figuratively gored by a bull. Christ was a slave to his Father's will and initially to mortality. As Peter Forbes noted in his 2006 comments, the leaders of Jewry who secured Christ's death are likened to "bulls of Bashan," ready to attack him (Psa 22:12-13).

Some of the above was gleaned from The Book of Exodus: The Christadelphian Expositor, H.P. Mansfield, p.278.

21:26-27 The provision that if a servant is injured by his master he shall go free indicates that servants must be treated with respect. Even though the servant is the property of the owner he is not allowed to behave towards the servant as he pleases.

These are the first "judgements" given to Israel, after the Commandments. The judgements are ways in which to decide in a court of law. They are principles to govern daily life and society as a whole. They ensure fairness and justice is upheld. Other nations would look at these laws and see how far above their own wisdom Gods judgements in Israelite society were (Deut 4:5-8). They would directly contribute to the stability and prosperity of the nation which would be like a beacon to the Gentiles (Isa 42:1-4 is speaking initially of Israel, cp. 44:1-2). Do we see the law in this light? David said "Oh, how I love Your law! I think about it all the time!" (Psa 119:97).

"... thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."

This passage is not literal in taking revenge, but about making the punishment fit the crime. It was about restitution. A greater crime exacted a greater punishment, a lesser crime a lesser punishment as determined by their judicial system (see verses 26-27). The Law clearly forbade taking revenge (Lev 19:18). In Rom 12:19, the apostle Paul cites Deut 32:35 in support that believers are not to take vengeance on their enemies.

21:21-22 At a time when servants - for this is speaking of a bond slave – were treated as no better than possessions God shows that He has different values. Israel were to learn that the values of Egypt and other countries were not to be followed. Rather God’s more stringent laws were to be followed.

21:35-36 A distinction is made between a “one off” event and a “habitual” action. A man could not foresee the first time his ox hurt another ox. However once it has happened once the owner should be more careful anticipating the same might happen again. Hence the punishment is more severe.

21:17 We might wonder why the specific matter of cursing father or mother. The reason is that the relationship between a child and their parents is typical of the relationship between the individual and their God. Unless we can treat our own parents with respect we will be unable to treat God with respect. John – 1John 4:20 - highlights this principle for us making the point that unless we can love the ones we can see we will be unable to love the God we cannot see.

21:15 The one who would smite his mother or father clearly did not honour them as the Law of Moses required – Exo 20:12 – so, it seems, such an one was to be put to death whether or not his parent was killed by the smiting.

Breach of the covenant justified the wife being released from her covenant partner. We learn the husband needs to provide for his wife. If he fails to provide for her, his claims over her are nullified. His moral nullification precedes the legal nullification of the marriage. This legal release is the right of the offended partner, which under the Law the husband is to give her. To “go out free” clearly entails a full release from the marriage. In understanding these passages enables us to understand the meaning of not being “under bondage” in Paul’s teaching (1Cor 7:15).

Reading 2: Psalm 74

v.2 - Lots of connections here throughout the scripture. Israel were (and we now are as well) God's congregation, God's holy people, the redeemed of the Lord (Isa.51:11) - who also come to Zion - the place where we can dwell with God - Jesus. It was purchased by God - purchased of course by the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28). Let us remind ourselves of the position of great privilege in which we find ourselves - Ps.33:12, Deut.4:20, 32:9, Jer.10:16, Isa.62:12, Tit.2:14, Rev.5:9.

v.1 (Title) - This Asaph was son of Berechiah - and was the chief (1Chr.15:17-19, 16:5) of David's musicians. Was this Psalm (and Psalm 78) written by him, or written for him? If it was for him , then that would not be the first time - 1Chr.16:7

Psalm 74 - It appears almost certain that this Psalm is from Hezekiah's time, when the Assyrian went through the land destroying all Israel's places of worship.

Psalm 74:4-6 - NEB translates "The shouts of Thy enemies filled the Holy Place, they planted their standards there as tokens of victory. They brought it crashing down, like woodmen plying their axes in the forest; they ripped the carvings clean out, they smashed them with hatchet and pick." Obviously this was a traumatic time for the nation as the enemy went throughout the land, destroying all that Israel had established. Sadly the people in the land must once more endure the Assyrian, the Northern Confederacy headed by Russia, going through the land and wreaking havoc in their final rampage against God's people - Daniel 11:40-45.

74:23 Whilst Israel’s enemies would doubtless have thought that they were rising against the nations David clearly understood correctly when he spoke of the enemies rising against God. A recurring theme – Hezekiah saw the taunt as a challenge to God for example.

Sometimes we think that God is for us, when in reality He's not. Sometimes we think that, because He answered our prayers in some mighty way, He is with us. We think we're special. We can start to think nothing we do will be without His blessing.

This was the problem that Israel struggled with ever after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt. Through the wilderness they continually quoted the fact that they were now God's people in order to justify the way they were behaving (Num 12:2, 16:3). This continued right through till the time of Jesus and beyond (Matt 3:9) .

Why, we ask ourselves, if God is with us, is everything going wrong? (vs 1,11) Before we know it, we have strayed so far from the paths of God, that God has had to turn His hand against us and chasten us in order to bring us back. It can be the very blessings of God that have directly contributed to our going astray. It can be the visible hand of God in our lives, through miraculous answered prayer, that lifts us up in pride, and makes us forget that it is God doing the delivering, and not us. We can get too big for our boots.

In v7, Asaph calls God's people His Turtledove. Jeremiah tells us that this is only if we act like the animal itself. If we are to claim to be God's people, we should be acting like people of God. "Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD." (Jer 8:7).

V.8 This is the only place where the word synagogues is used in the Old Testament. It is derived from the Hebrew word mo'ed meaning an assembly or congregation,brought together ostensibly for celebrating set religious festivals. The more formal structure which we relate to as a synagogue was a feature of the post-exilic age. Solomon's temple had been destroyed and Jews could not centralise there. And so they began to meet in their own locales. Even after Zerubbabel's temple had been completed, the meetings in the synagogues continued.

In Christ's time, although the magnificently refurbished Herod's temple shone in the brilliant Jerusalem sun, synagogue worship still flourished (Matt 4:23).

This psalm is in two parts. The first 9 verses (Psa 74:1-9) is telling God how evil people have been against Him. Then Psa 74:10-23 seems to be asking God to punish these wicked and godless people. Of course we do not have to tell God anything. He knows it all. But it's obviously a good thing (because the psalm is inspired), for us to list the evil deeds of people who have sinned against God. We mustn't judge, but such an exercise, where we pray to God and tell Him all the evil we have seen today, can only do us good. At the very least, we remind ourselves of the huge difference between right and wrong.

v.1 - In asking the question 'Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?' the psalmist almost seems to be doing what so many who do not understand God do - make God into what we men think He should be, instead of giving Him the ultimate power and glory and questioning nothing that He does. Maybe it is just the poetic language, but it comes over this way to me. God certainly does have good reason to have anger against us, so let us throw ourselves on His mercy, which is great.

74:18That the enemy had ‘reproached’ and ‘blasphemed’ moved the Psalmist to ask God to intervene and deliver his soul (Psa 74:19). The true servant of God will be more concerned about how his God is viewed in the world than how the world views him.

The crushing of sea monsters and Leviathan (vs.13,14) is indicative of Yahweh's defeat of Egypt. Egypt (Rahab) epitomises sin (idolatry) which Yahweh overcame (Isa 51:9,10). The Lord Jesus, likewise, overcame sin for all humankind, by crushing the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15).

74:1-2 On seeing that nation as suffering God’s anger the Psalmist calls upon God to remember the people that He had purchased. This is similar to Moses, when God would have destroyed them, asking God to remember what he had promised to the fathers. - Exo 32:10-13

As we read through this Psalm, we could not avoid noting how often the word "THOU" is repeated. As the psalmist lists the miraculous deeds that God has provided. "Why hast THOU cast us off for ever?" "Remember thy congregation, which THOU hast purchased"; " Why withdrawest THOU thy hand?" again in verses 12,14,15,16, and 17. We understand that the Hebrew word ATTENAH appears some 17 times in the Psalm. When something is continually repeated it has to have a special message. We all must be God centered in our thinking, and in our pleas to Him for help,

As we read through this Psalm, we could not avoid noting how often the word "THOU" is repeated. As the psalmist lists the miraculous deeds that God has provided. "Why hast THOU cast us off for ever?" "Remember thy congregation, which THOU hast purchased"; " Why withdrawest THOU thy hand?" again in verses 12,14,15,16, and 17. We understand that the Hebrew word ATTENAH appears some 17 times in the Psalm. When something is continually repeated it has to have a special message. We all must be God centered in our thinking, and in our pleas to Him for help,

74:8 The word translated ‘synagogues’ <04150> is only once translated such. More typically it is translated ‘set time’ – Gen 17:21 or ‘congregation’ – Exo 28:43 so we see the Psalmist is indicating a meetings of people at an appointed or set time.

V.1 The figure of smoke expresses Yahweh’s anger and displeasure. By touching the earth, in His anger, Yahweh would make the earth smoke (Psa 104:32; 144:5). Interestingly, a popular term for the most powerful tornado (Category 5) is called The Finger of God, because people have likened it to God dragging His finger across the land.

74:22-23 Amidst the cacophony of opposition to the things of God we can easily lose track of what really matters. David ran the same. Risk. His antidote was to ask God not to forget what is happening. We would do well to do likewise. When we might feel overwhelmed by the things going on around us we should focus on the fact things that God has said matter.

Less than one hundred years ago history repeated itself in Europe. As the armies of Germany swept from country to country, synagogues, churches and cathedrals, and other places of worship were wrecked and burned.

Asaph described it happening in Jerusalem many years before in these words: "Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs. They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees. They smashed all the carved panelling with their axes and hatchets. They burned your sanctuary to the ground, they defiled the dwelling place of your Name ... they burned every place where God was worshipped in the land." (Psa 74:4-8)

It happened in the days of Asaph. It happened during World War Two. It happens today all over the world where believers are persecuted. And it is likely that in the last days history will repeat itself in a wide spread persecution that spreads throughout the world. Are you prepared?

How will you feel if if vandals destroy and burn the building you worship in? There probably won't be much we can do about it if it happens, other than to pray and to trust in God. But if it does, let's not let it take us by surprise so that it destroys our faith. Instead let us realise that these signs point to the fact that Jesus is about to return.

74:9-10 Notice how David laments that it is God’s name that is reproached and blasphemed. Doubtless he was being persecuted but he sees that in reality it is God who is being belittled. How often do we trouble ourselves about God’s feelings when we hear things said against His truth?

74:1 “Why hast thou cast us off forever?” is a question that a faithful servant of God should never ask, though in times of deep despair we might, The antidote to this way of thinking is to regularly reflect on what He has done for us. This is why the weekly reminder of Jesus’ death and resurrection in the breaking of bread is so valuable to us.

Reading 3: Mark 7

v.7 - This has been a problem throughout the ages. Human nature adores tradition. We feel great security in repeated ritual. It is essential, as Jesus says here, that we separate in our minds those things which are doctrine from those which are tradition and give each its true place in our hearts. From the start God was concerned that his commandments remained untouched by human thinking (Deut.12:32). So let us heed carefully the message of passages like Tit.3:9, Jas.1:26, Col.2:20-23, Rev.22:18.

v.13 That it is possible to make the word of God void and of none effect by the way that we make our own rules should really make us careful about how we make our own rules to 'make life easy' for ourselves.v.31 When Jesus passed through Decapolis he was passing through the area where Legion, when he had been healed, went talking about Jesus Mark 5:20.v.36 A regular feature of the gospels is that Jesus did not want those who had been healed to spread that abroad.Matthew 8:4 9:30 12:16 16:20 Mark 1:44 3:12 5:43 8:30 Luke 5:14 8:56 His desire was that people would come to him because of his word and not just for the miracles [or the bread]

:6-7 The way in which the 'people' were vain in their worship because they had replaced the things God required by their own traditions should serve as a powerful warning to us.

We must ask ourselves, with respect to all the procedures that we adopt in our lives, whether they accord with what Scripture teaches or whether the procedures are designed to enable us to avoid thinking about the will of our Father and how it should be implemented in our daily and ecclesial lives.

Most rules and traditions have their basis in a principle or a belief. For example, the rule that says we should wear safety glasses when using power tools is based on the safety principle of "prevention is better than cure." The rule is good in its self, but if the principle is better served by wearing a face shield, then the rule of wearing safety glasses becomes obsolete.

The Pharisees had made traditions and rules around the principles given in the Law of Moses. Essentially they were a hedge around the law to prevent people from breaking the law, and in a way, it worked well. But in other ways it went too far because the people lost sight of God's laws due to all the other rules they had to watch out for. Jesus said to them, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7 v 8).

We too can be governed by a multitude of rules and traditions intended to help us serve God, but which occasionally become a burden or hindrance. Our worship music, Bible Version, dress code, times of meetings, order of services or layout of a plan are all things that are based on principles yet are often enforced by rules. So let us consider the principles behind the rules and re-evaluate our standing before God.

:24-30 It may seem puzzling that Jesus went to gentile territory and then, when the gentile woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter it might seem reasonable to ask 'why go there if he was not going to heal anyone or preach the gospel?' The way that Jesus responded was designed to enable the woman to show that she had great faith. Not for her benefit but for the benefit of those Jews that were with Jesus.

Mark 7:19 - "purging all meats" - Another translation has this, "Making all meats clean." The NKJV has "Thus purifying all foods" - This was a radical departure from 1500 years of ingrained and inbred tradition and Law. It was a total shock to the mind of the Jew, and we find Peter still grappling with the concept years later in the record of the Acts.

7:1 When the record tells us that the Pharisees and certain of the scribes had come from Jerusalem we should realise that they had travelled some 60 miles. This gives us an indication as to how concerned the religious leaders in Jerusalem were about Jesus.

Mark 7:29For this saying go thy way The Lord was aware of the merits of her confession. She knew that He was opening a wider door than Judaism would have allowed. She believed that Gentiles as well as Jews could partake of the Hope of Israel. Her daughter would be cured as a sign of the Hope to come.

After the healing of Legion (see my note on Mark 5), Jesus encountered the Syrophenician woman who begged him to heal her mentally ill daughter (Mark 7:25,26). Jesus explained to her that His prime mission was to the house of Israel (Matt 15:24) but her faith showed that His mission also extended to the Gentiles. This was the lesson that was meant to be understood. To highlight this, Jesus travelled through the Decapolis (the ten Gentile cities of the Galilee) healing the sick (Mark 7:31-37).

v.11 - Throughout this discourse we see the importance of living by God's rules in faith. We must resist the human tendency to place extra rules between us and God - rules which God has not enforced - the keeping of which makes us feel more righteous. Righteousness comes only from God and only to those who are justified by faith. We need to keep this important principle paramount in our minds, for by it, and it only, can we be saved. Rom 3:20,28

7:17In coming to ask Jesus about the parable his disciples are showing the true qualities of a disciple - they were learners. We should never be too proud to pretend that we know the answer when we do not. We should seek the answer from someone we think will be able to help.

The Lord Jesus was sent first of all to the Jews. The promise to Abraham was coming true in Him, and therefore all nations would be blessed in Him (Gen 12:3) – but it had to be to the house of Israel first. Therefore in today’s chapter (Mark 7:25-30), the Lord let the Gentile woman know that it wasn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. It was a test. What was good for Jews was equally good for Gentiles. She passed the test, and received the miracle she was so desperate to have.

The incident of Jesus' healing the deaf man with the speech impediment seems strange (vs.32-35). The Lord could have healed the man by just saying the word, like the healing of the Gentile woman's daughter. However, the Lord put his fingers in his ears and touched his tongue. Why this demonstration? I think the Lord was drawing attention to the spiritual wantonness of the Jews. They had stopped up their ears against hearing and understanding the Truth (Zech 7:11); and had shown, by their rhetoric, pride and arrogance, a contrary attitude to the spirit of Truth (Psa 12:3,4). As the Lord could unblock physical impediments (v.34), he could also open the way to eternal life to those willing to change their ways (John 3:15).

7:6-8 There was nothing inherently wrong with the hand washing that the religious Jews did and expected everyone else to do. The problem was that their tradition replaced God’s law. A set of rules which can simply be obeyed without any thought kills spiritual growth. In the same way we can prevent ourselves from growing spiritually by thinking that our lives should be determined by a set of rules.

7:2Now the Pharisees see the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands – That is they did not follow the ceremonial rules that the Jews introduced. So the disciples are criticised for eating. Jesus – Mark 6:42– had fed the 5,000. So Jesus fed the people. The Jewish leaders criticised the people for eating! The bread represented teaching.

7:17 so we see again – see Mark 4:10– the disciples asking for an explanation of the parables. Jesus used the parables to separate those who were interested in his message from those who were not. Those who were interested went and enquired further. Is this our attitude to Scripture?

Mark likes to record key Aramaic words that Jesus used. Of course, the common language of the region was Aramaic. In this chapter he records Corban = consecrated gift (v.11); Ephphath=Be opened (v.34). Other examples of Aramaic words and phrases are:

One of the themes that runs through the gospel of Mark is that no matter how hard Jesus tried to keep things quiet, people continued to tell people about him, the crowds continued to grow, while he and the disciples were unable to get any rest.

Take, for example, his time in Tyre. "He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence a secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet." (Mark 7:24-25)

And again, after healing the deaf and mute man, "Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it." (v 36)

Looking around, I think the opposite is more of a problem today. Jesus, no longer wearied by crowds flocking to him, has told us to go out and spread the good news. But do we? Even when they were told not to, the people were so impressed by Jesus that they came to him and told others about him anyway. We have seen and heard so much more about Jesus in the Scriptures, through history and in our lives, yet I get the impression that many of us would have liked Jesus to tell us not to tell anyone.

Let us have the enthusiasm of those people through the gospels that had an encounter with Jesus. After our encounter with him, we should not be able to help loving him and telling others about him.

7:6 The quotation from Isa 29:13 ‘this people ... of men’ high lights the way in which the nation were so far away from God against the background of the amazement of Jesus’ lack of education – Mark 6:3. Notice the use of ‘unlearned’ in Isa 29:12

One of the things you very quickly pick up when you learn a trade is that if something looks good on the outside, the customer is much less likely to look any further. But if they are not happy with the external look, they will inspect deeper and likely find other hidden flaws in the product. With God it is different. He can see through the exterior to what is on the inside. He can see at a glance whether anything is good or bad on the inside, no matter what it is. This is especially true with ourselves.

All too often we dress ourselves up, or talk ourselves up to look better on the outside than we really are on the inside. But it is the inside that counts. If our hearts are full of wickedness, then we will be 'unclean', as Jesus puts it. "All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean." (Mark 7:23)

So in order to keep our inside clean, let's feed it with only the good stuff - prayer, the Word of God, and other uplifting things. And let's starve it of immorality, lust, sinfulness, greed, lies and evil thoughts. In doing this we can change to be people that are pleasing to God from the inside out.

Only on rare occasions like this do you find the actual untranslated words of Jesus with its translation attached. "Ephphatha" = be opened, according to Mark. (This word, according to Young's concordance, is a Chaldean word.) What do these unusual situations suggest as to the language that Jesus usually spoke during his ministry?

Bear with me in the longer than normal response to this. My brother George wrote in with the following -

Young's Concordance is way out of date in its nomenclature. What was called "Chaldean", say, 100 years ago is now always called Aramaic. And there is considerable evidence, they say, for Jesus and most first-century Jews speaking Aramaic as their first language. Aramaic might almost be called a dialect of Hebrew, which I think traces back to the Jews of the Babylonian captivity developing and modifying their Hebrew language by long association with the Chaldeans or Babylonians.

I also think, based on various things read here and there, that -- while Aramaic was the primary language in first-century Judea -- most if not all Jews spoke Greek and, becausee of the Roman occupation, also some Latin. While this idea seems hard for Americans to grasp, it is fairly common in many parts of Europe, where random folks and not just students or scholars may have good use of their nation's language, plus perhaps enough English and/or French, German, Italian to get by in conversations with others. When it comes to languages, we Americans are way behind the pack in today's world!

Another point: While we have the New Testament in Greek, which seems to be the originals, some scholars postulate that various NT books may have been written in Aramaic first, and then translated into Greek because it was the primary language of many Gentile peoples to whom the gospel was being preached. While being fluent in Aramaic, Paul probably spoke Greek primarily because of his broad education, and probably wrote in Greek because he preached mainly to Gentiles. Just a guess, of course.

Did first-century Jews speak Hebrew? Reading between the lines, I think it was the language of scholars who read the OT manuscripts, but not that much known or used by ordinary Jews. However, Aramaic was probably sufficiently like Hebrew that one might make a passable attempt to understand old Hebrew simply by knowing Aramaic well. A lot like today, when some Jews and Arabs can understand a good bit of the other's langauge.

Why some Aramaic words? And why in the places they are, and not more or others? I don't know. I'm sure there are theories for that, but I haven't read anything specifically on that, or if I did I don't remember at the moment.

George

PS: Practically everything I've said is *probably* mostly correct. I'd give it a probability of about 80%. Meaning: If somebody knows more about this that I've suggested, I wouldn't mind being corrected!
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my comments - while acknowledging that a number of points made are likely correct, I think a good argument can be made that Jesus' primary language of choice during his ministry was Greek (though he obviously knew and used at times both Hebrew and Aramaic). The few times that an Aramaic word or phrase are used - such as here and Mark 14:36 - Abba, andMark 5:41 - Talitha cumi, and Mark 15:34 - Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani - seem to show that they are exceptions from Jesus' normal speech - perhaps used in a time of emotion or excitement. For if they were the norm - i.e. if Jesus, the large majority of the time, spoke in Aramaic, why would the gospel writers on those rare occasions record the Aramaic phrase and then give its actual meaning?

Another point that bro. Harry Whittaker makes in his excellent book - Bible Studies - is that if Jesus did speak primarily in Greek - the language of the Roman Empire - then a fairly significant number of puns (plays on words) can be seen in various statements of his. Here are a few examples of many given.

Mat. 24:32,33 - "Summer (theros) is nigh...it is near, even at the doors (thurais)."

Jn. 3:3 - "Except a man be born again (anothen)..." But anothen is a double-meaning word signifying not only "again" but also "from above." It is clear from the context (vv. 5,6,8) that Jesus meant the second of these, but Nicodemus' comment is relevant to the first. It would be almost obvious that Jesus and an important man of the Sanhedrin would converse in Aramaic or even Hebrew. Yet evidently this was not so.

Mat. 18:8 - "Better (kalon) for thee to enter into life halt (kullon) or maimed (cholon)..."

Also in Mark's gospel, out of 20 straight Old Testament quotations (most of them made by Jesus) all but one are exact quotations from the Greek Septuagint, which shows that this was the Bible Jesus commonly used and that it was the text which scribes and common people were alike familiar with.

So there you go. Bottom line - we don't know for sure, but a pretty fair case could be made for his speaking primarily Greek with some Aramaic and Hebrew thrown in at times.

Why do the Pharisees criticise the disciples for not washing their hands in v5? Could it be because they had witnessed the feeding of the five thousand in the previous chapter? If that's the case, isn't it awful that they could not see the implications of the miracle but could only see it through critical eyes? The fact is, where were the people going to get water to wash their hands in a deserted place? (see Mark 6:35-44)

Do we sometimes criticise others when they have actually been doing well? Are we blinded to virtue because all we want to see is sin? Do we sometimes criticise before we know the practical realities of the situation?

7:5 We have been introduced – 7:1-4 the petty way I which the Jewish leaders questioned Jesus. They measured him and his disciples against their own standards and found him wanting. How often are we trapped by our own prejudices? How often do we fail to respond to a real need because it does not fit into our comfortable life?

7:25 In saying that the child had an “unclean spirit” which Jesus cast out we are reminded of the prophecy – Zech 13:2 – of the work of Messiah – the removal of the “unclean spirits” from the land of Israel.

7:18 From the way the disciples react we learn how easy it is to copy the things we see without appreciating their significance. From the perspective of the disciples they knew the way that things were done but did not question them. We should take note and ensure that we always question why we follow rituals.